KARACHI, Feb 12: Leg-spinner Danish Kaneria and pacer Rao Iftikhar have been reportedly included in the 15-man Pakistan squad for next month’s World Cup in the West Indies.
Kaneria, who has played just 16 One-day Internationals with last being against Scotland at Edinburgh in June 2006, was not considered for the current ODI series in South Africa despite being the second highest wicket-taker in the three-match Test series.
Rao Iftikhar, regarded as one-day specialist, was also not picked for the series against Graeme Smith’s team but given the number of injuries to frontline pacemen on the tour of South Africa, he is now given the chance to add to his 25 ODI caps.
According to sources, fast bowlers Shoaib Akhtar and Umar Gul, both of whom are currently battling to get fit, have also been confirmed for the mega event.Chairman of selectors Wasim Bari will unveil the squad at a press conference in Lahore on Tuesday afternoon. He was expected to return late on Monday from South Africa where he held discussions with Pakistan captain Inzamam-ul-Haq and coach Bob Woolmer.
Despite being slapped with a four-match ODI ban for brandishing his bat at a spectator during the first one-dayer at Centurion last week, Shahid Afridi is certain to be named in the squad. The bans means the mercurial all-rounder will miss the first two matches of the World Cup.
Azhar Mahmood, who was flown out to South Africa to replace yet another injured pacer Shabbir Ahmed who was forced out of the one-day series with a groin, is unlikely to be picked despite replacing Shabbir in the original 30-man provisional list submitted to the ICC.
The ICC has granted Pakistan special permission to replace Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Asif in case the doping ban on the pair is re-imposed if the Lausanne-based Court of Arbitration (CAS) upholds an appeal filed by World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).
Mohammad Sami and Shahid Nazir have been earmarked as the likely replacements if Shoaib and Asif are ruled out by CAS ruling.
For the squad touring South Africa, Sami, batsman Yasir Hameed who has yet to play in the ongoing ODI series, and slow left-armer Abdur Rehman, who figured in Sunday’s fourth ODI at Cape Town, have not be picked in the World Cup-bound party.
The World Cup commences on March 13 with Pakistan taking on hosts West Indies in the opening Group ‘D’ match at Kingston’s Sabina Park. Zimbabwe and Ireland are the other teams in this pool.
Likely squad: Inzamam-ul-Haq (captain), Younis Khan (vice-captain), Imran Nazir, Mohammad Hafeez, Mohammad Yousuf, Shoaib Malik, Abdul Razzaq, Shahid Afridi, Kamran Akmal (wicket-keeper), Umar Gul, Shoaib Akhtar, Mohammad Asif, Rana Naved-ul-Hasan, Danish Kaneria, Rao Iftikhar.